Tuesday, November 22, 2005

I can condone some kind of killings. But there are some, which warrant instant death penalty, and even add a Chinese torture as a deterrent to future killers.I can never condone killing for profit. Like they say in the mafia movies, “it was nothing personal, just business”. I can understand personal, It could have been a Revenge (I can forgive a brother for avenging his sister’s rape or murder)but “Just Business?”. So are Mercenaries, our former don in the jail being one. I could even understand when suicide bomber bombs innocents, for he had also died for a cause. No, no cause is worth a human live as I have written here, but I understood. But I cannot understand somebody being killed for profit. How can these animals take a human life for profit. Yes I am talking about Manjunathan, and when I read Gaurav’s post I felt so helpless I felt like screaming! Manjunathan was Killed for profit, and the Killers must be brought to justice, and hopefully they will be, but will it change anything?

My only question is why did Manjunathan die? And die in vain. I am sure his death will not change anything and that he died in vain. He didn’t die a martyr, and yes the guilty might be charged, but business will go on. And everyone one of us will do what everyone else does, we will blame the system. We will blame the politicians. And I remember the first day at a camp at Panchgani. The volunteers at the camp who were to give us the training sang us a song. It said “Hum saab hain Zimmedar”(We all are responsible). Don’t we all blame everyone but ourselves? That day I decided that I will stop blaming others will do whatever little I can, but I am still in the process of learning. I just can’t resist a dig at the corrupt bureaucrats or the system. If one were to start blaming others, the list is endless.

But I say that we are to blame. We are as much to blame for the death of Manjunathan than the corrupt Politicains who took money to allot Pumps. And a number of other unsung heroes. We all know that someone who gives a bribe is as guilty as the one takes it. As long as there are people who are willing to pay the bribe, there will always be corruption? But we blame the system. Sigh! Aisa hi hota hein! But we are the system aren’t we? We bribe everyone and then turn to blame them. Why is the minister corrupt? Getting to become the minister was such a costly affair that he had to recoup his investments. And yet we blame him. Such ministers in order to recoup the money he had shelled out to voters sell oil pumps, and the oil pump owners who had to pay those extra bribe also have to recoup his investments. It wasn’t a fair business at the first place and unless he mixes kerosene, he will not be able to recoup his investments. I am not just blaming the voters; a 100 rupee note to a slum-dweller is a huge amount. But aren’t we also equally to blame if we didn’t speak out against the oil Adulterators. If it were everyone who were standing against the petrol dealers and not just Manju, would they have dared?

Gaurav mention in his blog that Manju Nathan had said, "the petrol dealers knew that no matter what happens, their licenses couldn't be cancelled". But, it is not the only reason, the main culprits are the customers who don’t speak out and keep going back despite knowing that they are being taken for a ride. In every city, there are pumps that adulterate and there are honest pumps, and everyone knows which pumps sell adulterated and which pumps sell unadulterated. But we never speak out.The recently released flop movie by RGV, James had a dialogue I will never forgetAren’t we to blame.We jump the signal, and when we are caught, even before the policemen ask for anything, we start to negotiate,”bhaisaab, der ho raha hein, jaane do na. Please yeh rakh lijiye!!”And we blame the police to be corrupt.

Today also we will not do anything. Just let it pass and maybe this time blame the media as well. By the it is again "WE" who are responsible what they write, and why they have sold out to advertisers. Are we willing to pay a premium for an Ad-free paper?

Can we do something?Can we all do one post in solidarity? A word for Manju.Maybe it will attract the media attention?Let not Manju Die in vain!Wherever you are Manju, rest in peace!

15 Comments:

Its true that the system needs an end-to-end re-haul of sorts. If you have seen the Hindi movie Nayak (or its Tamil equivalent Mudhalvan, i think)... thats the kind of overhaul the system needs... else there is just too much inertia for a few people to try and make a difference

I agree with your remark that we ARE the system. How can we then blame the system?But that's what it is in India isnt it? The middle class is pained... but refuses to budge and do anything about it.I liked the movie 'Yuva' for showing that today's educated can enter politics. And cleanse the system by being INSIDE the system.

@Nirav: Yes, Nayak remains one of my favorite movies, however unrealsitic it might have been but I loved it. It made me feel good and I have watched it several time. It is in fact a dream I would love to carry out some day. Imagine the possibility. India can just take a Cosmic Leap.. You know sometimes I prefer Dictatorship to Democracy at times. It is Only that that Hitlers and Mussolini's tend become dictators, giving dictorship a bad name. A dictator should be chosen after a thorough test of Integrity, Ideal, IQ, EQ and everything.. Someone like The Nayak.. Military should not be under his direct control, but only general administration. We must leave the ministry in charge of the army. With the kind of spines that our ministers have they will never wage a war..good for us, war have never been good. And a Vive-dictator for every state and province. All chosen the same way.

We are friends of Manjunath from our undergrad days. We have decided to maintain a blog dedicated to him at manjunathshanmugam.blogspot.com. We intend to keep our blog up-to-date about the media coverage, latest developements etc. We are also petitioning the Prime Minister to take this case to the end.

Dear Anthony,I am Amitabh Thakur, a B Tech Graduate from IIT Kanpur (1989- Mech. Engg.) and an IPS Officer of the UP Cadre (1992 batch), presently posted in the DGP Office, Lucknow. Like so many people all over the country, I have also been tracking the gruesome murder case of Manjunath with utmost eagerness. It was a matter of great solace to all of us when the Hon’ble Sessions Judge, Lakhimpur-Kheri pronounced his judgement indicting all the eight accused persons and awarded suitable punishments to each one of them. That Manjunath is no longer an individual, he is a symbol and he is a brand needs no further elucidation. He is an idol of this hero-starved nation. I, being one of his admirers, want to salute this great son of our country, by putting my thoughts on paper regarding the man that he was, the ideas he stood for and more specifically, the story of his confrontation with the unscrupulous petrol dealers leading to his own death followed by the subsequent investigation and trial of the matter.I would like to reiterate that my book is going to be one more tribute to Manjunath or Machan, as he was lovingly called by all of you. I need your help and support in this direction. I am writing this letter to you as an introductory one. In case you feel so, we can go on communicating further in this regard. I came to know about you through your Blog- A Journey called Life. As a beginning, I would request you to provide me the contact numbers; E-mails and addresses of those who you think can help me know more about Manju, the man or about that horrendous incidence.Regards,Amitabh Thakur 5/426, Viram Khand,Gomti Nagar,Lucknow (UP)226010# 94159-02159 94155-34526